Pursue Your Happiness

Pursue Your Happiness

Along with America’s mission statement of “we are all created equal to pursue our own lives, freedom, and happiness,” Don Hahn states there are a million ways to be happy, and that the pursuit of a creative dream is one of them. Unfortunately, he states, the truth is “freedom doesn’t always mean equality and equality doesn’t always foster the spirit of happiness.”

So what do we do? We work for it. We work towards our individual happiness — within whatever creative arena makes us happiest (as long as it doesn’t hurt others or ourselves). Along the way, we may have to work harder than anyone else, and we may never achieve what we set out to do, but at least we tried.

“You can fail at what you don’t want, so you might as well take a chance doing what you love.”

– Jim Carrey

So, if we’re going to work for the things, actions, recognition, personal satisfaction, etcetera that make us happy (creative or otherwise), let’s really commit. No more of this, “oh, I’ll get to it next month.” It doesn’t happen. We have to jump into our endeavors, even if we feel completely overwhelmed and unprepared. Hahn has a funnier way of saying it: “You can either tiptoe into the shallow end or jump naked into the deep end. It all depends on how much you want to swim.” So even if you’re unprepared — and naked — do you still want to pursue what you’re truly passionate about? Do you want to make your mark on the world, even if no one ever sees it, badly enough to dive in right now? It may be your only chance — so seize it! If your passion, your craft, your business idea, etc. is one of those passions that you can’t not do, then it’s time to make the decision to take your dream off the shelf, where it’s been patiently waiting, once and for all.

How to Pursue Your Happiness

According to Don Hahn

Figure out what “your happiness” is. What’s inside of you? What story, truth, idea, or design do you have to tell or share?

Be authentic. Figure out who you are. Be the best you that you can be. Honor your personal history and the strengths and limitations that make you who you are today.

Be courageous. Be honest with yourself about changes that need to be made in your career.

Latch onto your dream. Don’t let go of it.

Seek out experts and continue to learn along the way.

Work continuously to dig for the truth in your life.

Explore your desires.

Create without guilt.

MARRY YOUR DREAM — for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do you part.

What do you plan to do to pursue your happiness? Is it time to finally create or craft your artistic passions, write your book/songs, open your business, design a space, travel and photograph a remote location, etcetera, etcetera? Are you ready to do what you love, learn something you’ve always wanted to learn, go somewhere you’ve always wanted to travel, or promote your trade as only you know how? Are you ready to commit to the journey of actions that will lead you to what makes you happiest? We think so. Let’s do this.

Be sure to follow, share, and like the other blogs in the #YourCreativeSelf series from @SmarterSearches. Up next in the series: Live Your Passion.